Thursday, March 29, 2012

Ankara: With flourishing trade relations, cultural ties and governments with a similar understanding of democracy, Turkey and Bangladesh are very close countries, Bangladesh Ambassador to Turkey Zulfiqur Rahman has said.

He added that relations between the two countries should be further developed in order to match their true potential.

Speaking to Today's Zaman on the occasion of the national day of Bangladesh, Rahman noted that Turkey and Bangladesh have a common past and have gone through the same political phases, leading to recent, successful democratization. Cooperation between the two countries is going very well in terms of trade, education and defense; however, it should be boosted further, he emphasized.

Trade volume between the two countries reached $1 billion in 2011. The leading sector in which Turkey imports from Bangladesh is ready-made-garments, of which Bangladesh is the fourth-largest exporter in the world. Rahman appreciates the Turkish government's efforts to increase investment and trade relations with his country, noting that while the trade volume between the countries was only $47 million in 2002, it had reached $658 million by 2009 and last year it hit $1 billion.

“The trade between Bangladesh and Turkey right now is satisfactory, but it is not up to the potential … for the two countries,” said Rahman, recalling Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's proposal to increase bilateral trade volume to $3 billion by 2015 during his visit to Bangladesh in November 2010. Rahman expressed the pleasure of the Bangladeshi government with this proposal and the strong efforts to realize it.

Rahman noted that Turkey and Bangladesh need better links in some sectors in order to achieve this target. The ambassador asserted that Turkey is a very promising market for Bangladeshi pharmaceuticals, which have significant access to EU and the US markets, being exported to a total of 80 countries worldwide. “The Turkish government is now paying a huge amount to the social security sector because of drug prices. If the Turkish government purchases our pharmaceuticals, the amount will be reduced by at least half,” he said. He noted that delegations from the two countries are working towards the application of Turkish rules and regulations to Bangladeshi pharmaceuticals.

Located in a cyclone region, Bangladesh also has a very quick disaster response mechanism. Their successes in disaster management have reduced cyclone deaths from 20,000 in 1970 to fewer than 200 by the 1990s. Rahman stated that his country is ready to share its experience in this regard with Turkey and that a process for cooperation is already being worked out.

Turkey and Bangladesh already work together well in defense, with cooperation dating back to 1978, when the two countries signed their first defense cooperation agreement. A bilateral military training agreement in 2004 carried defense cooperation to a higher level. So far, approximately 3,000 Bangladeshi military officers have been trained in Turkey. In order to finance the education of Turkish soldiers in Bangladesh, Turkey has provided an annual grant of TL 500 million to Bangladesh since 2008.

Having been busy making arrangements for a visit by Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to Turkey next month, Rahman also expressed satisfaction with the increasing diplomatic contact between the South Asian country and Turkey. Hasina, who will visit Turkey in April, will also deliver a speech at Ankara University on the political and economic empowerment of woman. Erdoğan's visit in November 2010 marked the first prime ministerial visit by Turkey to the country in 21 years. In February of the same year, Turkish President Abdullah Gül also visited Bangladesh.

With a population that practices a Sufi understanding of Islam -- which is in harmony with their Bengali culture and rules out any divisions between the people -- as well as a government that stands an equal distance from all religions, the country draws a very democratic image. Having a predominantly Muslim population (88 percent), the country embraces all other religions, including Hindu, Buddhism and Christianity. “The Constitution of Bangladesh allows all citizens the freedom to practice their religion, based on the idea that the state does not interfere in their religious practices,” stated Rahman.

Bangladesh seceded from Pakistan, acquiring independence for its Bengali-speaking nation in 1971. Rahman claimed that the Turkish struggle for independence inspired Bengalis deeply during their own fight for independence.

Bangladesh has experienced two military coups since it first gained independence. The first coup was staged by Gen. Ziaur Rahman in 1975, who was interestingly elected president in the national elections of 1977. Another military coup came in 1981 and continued until 1991. With a political movement for civilian politics in 1991, the military government stepped aside, and from then on the country has practiced full democracy.

Asserting that the political experiences of Bangladesh and Turkey are also similar in terms of sidelining the military from politics in recent times, Rahman feels that Turkey and Bangladesh could share their democratic experiences with “their brothers” in the Middle Eastern states and assist them during their transitional period following the Arab Spring.

Rahman also mentioned that the message of Sufism can be applied as an antidote to the present conflicts in the Middle East, not only down religious but also sectarian lines. “The governments in the Muslim world have the responsibility to preach tolerance; this is the main message. … Muslims are divided down many lines, and these lines are artificial lines, created by the people who do not want Muslims to be united,” the ambassador remarked, claiming that the picture in the Middle East of chaos and conflict would be very different if the main spirit of Sufism had been practiced.

Rahman acknowledged that the Sufi version of Islam, which is practiced in Bangladesh, came to the country from Konya. He claimed that Mevlana Celaleddin Rumi is a household name in Bangladesh and everybody knows about him.

However, Rahman lamented that Bangladesh is not very known in Turkey, despite the cultural and religious affinity and the common past between the nations dating back to 1920. “When Turkey was struggling for its independence in the 1920s, Bengali people sent military and financial assistance to Turkey,” he stated.
Picture: Bangladeshi Ambassador to Turkey Zulfiqur Rahman spoke on bilateral relations in an exclusive interview with Today’s Zaman. Photo: Today's Zaman, Mevlüt Karabulut.

Ankara: With flourishing trade relations, cultural ties and governments with a similar understanding of democracy, Turkey and Bangladesh are very close countries, Bangladesh Ambassador to Turkey Zulfiqur Rahman has said.

He added that relations between the two countries should be further developed in order to match their true potential.

Speaking to Today's Zaman on the occasion of the national day of Bangladesh, Rahman noted that Turkey and Bangladesh have a common past and have gone through the same political phases, leading to recent, successful democratization. Cooperation between the two countries is going very well in terms of trade, education and defense; however, it should be boosted further, he emphasized.

Trade volume between the two countries reached $1 billion in 2011. The leading sector in which Turkey imports from Bangladesh is ready-made-garments, of which Bangladesh is the fourth-largest exporter in the world. Rahman appreciates the Turkish government's efforts to increase investment and trade relations with his country, noting that while the trade volume between the countries was only $47 million in 2002, it had reached $658 million by 2009 and last year it hit $1 billion.

“The trade between Bangladesh and Turkey right now is satisfactory, but it is not up to the potential … for the two countries,” said Rahman, recalling Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's proposal to increase bilateral trade volume to $3 billion by 2015 during his visit to Bangladesh in November 2010. Rahman expressed the pleasure of the Bangladeshi government with this proposal and the strong efforts to realize it.

Rahman noted that Turkey and Bangladesh need better links in some sectors in order to achieve this target. The ambassador asserted that Turkey is a very promising market for Bangladeshi pharmaceuticals, which have significant access to EU and the US markets, being exported to a total of 80 countries worldwide. “The Turkish government is now paying a huge amount to the social security sector because of drug prices. If the Turkish government purchases our pharmaceuticals, the amount will be reduced by at least half,” he said. He noted that delegations from the two countries are working towards the application of Turkish rules and regulations to Bangladeshi pharmaceuticals.

Located in a cyclone region, Bangladesh also has a very quick disaster response mechanism. Their successes in disaster management have reduced cyclone deaths from 20,000 in 1970 to fewer than 200 by the 1990s. Rahman stated that his country is ready to share its experience in this regard with Turkey and that a process for cooperation is already being worked out.

Turkey and Bangladesh already work together well in defense, with cooperation dating back to 1978, when the two countries signed their first defense cooperation agreement. A bilateral military training agreement in 2004 carried defense cooperation to a higher level. So far, approximately 3,000 Bangladeshi military officers have been trained in Turkey. In order to finance the education of Turkish soldiers in Bangladesh, Turkey has provided an annual grant of TL 500 million to Bangladesh since 2008.

Having been busy making arrangements for a visit by Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to Turkey next month, Rahman also expressed satisfaction with the increasing diplomatic contact between the South Asian country and Turkey. Hasina, who will visit Turkey in April, will also deliver a speech at Ankara University on the political and economic empowerment of woman. Erdoğan's visit in November 2010 marked the first prime ministerial visit by Turkey to the country in 21 years. In February of the same year, Turkish President Abdullah Gül also visited Bangladesh.

With a population that practices a Sufi understanding of Islam -- which is in harmony with their Bengali culture and rules out any divisions between the people -- as well as a government that stands an equal distance from all religions, the country draws a very democratic image. Having a predominantly Muslim population (88 percent), the country embraces all other religions, including Hindu, Buddhism and Christianity. “The Constitution of Bangladesh allows all citizens the freedom to practice their religion, based on the idea that the state does not interfere in their religious practices,” stated Rahman.

Bangladesh seceded from Pakistan, acquiring independence for its Bengali-speaking nation in 1971. Rahman claimed that the Turkish struggle for independence inspired Bengalis deeply during their own fight for independence.

Bangladesh has experienced two military coups since it first gained independence. The first coup was staged by Gen. Ziaur Rahman in 1975, who was interestingly elected president in the national elections of 1977. Another military coup came in 1981 and continued until 1991. With a political movement for civilian politics in 1991, the military government stepped aside, and from then on the country has practiced full democracy.

Asserting that the political experiences of Bangladesh and Turkey are also similar in terms of sidelining the military from politics in recent times, Rahman feels that Turkey and Bangladesh could share their democratic experiences with “their brothers” in the Middle Eastern states and assist them during their transitional period following the Arab Spring.

Rahman also mentioned that the message of Sufism can be applied as an antidote to the present conflicts in the Middle East, not only down religious but also sectarian lines. “The governments in the Muslim world have the responsibility to preach tolerance; this is the main message. … Muslims are divided down many lines, and these lines are artificial lines, created by the people who do not want Muslims to be united,” the ambassador remarked, claiming that the picture in the Middle East of chaos and conflict would be very different if the main spirit of Sufism had been practiced.

Rahman acknowledged that the Sufi version of Islam, which is practiced in Bangladesh, came to the country from Konya. He claimed that Mevlana Celaleddin Rumi is a household name in Bangladesh and everybody knows about him.

However, Rahman lamented that Bangladesh is not very known in Turkey, despite the cultural and religious affinity and the common past between the nations dating back to 1920. “When Turkey was struggling for its independence in the 1920s, Bengali people sent military and financial assistance to Turkey,” he stated.
Picture: Bangladeshi Ambassador to Turkey Zulfiqur Rahman spoke on bilateral relations in an exclusive interview with Today’s Zaman. Photo: Today's Zaman, Mevlüt Karabulut.

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